Obama appointees attack free and open Internet

Savetheinternet.com, a lobby group which exists to defend net neutrality and is strongly opposing the FCC’s moves, claims that American web users are in serious danger of having their freedoms swept away: “expect internet blackouts that extend far beyond the popular content vendors as smaller websites are caught in the crossfire. Tweets, emails and texts will be mysteriously delayed or dropped.”

“Videos will load slowly, if at all. Websites will work fine one minute, and time out another. Your ISP will claim it’s not their fault, and you’ll have no idea who is to blame. You also won’t be able to vote with your feet and wallet, as there’s no competition in broadband, and all ISPs will be playing this game,” the group states on its website.

As a CPA I’ve had constant exposure to wealthy people over the years – they cannot be grouped anymore than Hispanics or teenagers. But I have noticed a tendency that puts them under the heading “humans.” Unless they inherit their wealth, more common than not, they are bright and ambitious risk takers during the initial phases of wealth acquisition. This is because there is far more to gain than lose in their risk-taking behaviors. It’s perfectly natural.

With success the objective shifts from acquisition to preservation of wealth. Risky behavior goes out the window. Now the objective is security, and that requires a different strategy. This naturally leads them into politics, where their wealth is most at risk. The anti-tax attitude dominates, in fact becomes an obsession.

It’s perfectly natural. In their shoes, I would probably behave in the same manner. But the greater good requires minimizing pools of private wealth, as in the end these great private fortunes take over the political system, and we lose our democracy and personal freedoms.

Oh wait. Too late about that. Done deal.
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There’s something similar going on now with the Internet, the fight for “net neutrality.” The same principle is at work – those companies that have had success on the Internet do not want any upstarts bumping them off. MySpace was taken down by Facebook, and does anyone remember Netscape? It will happen again and again unless someone puts a stop to innovation and competition.

That someone is Obama. His strategy was simple: He lied his ass off. While claiming to be a champion of a free and open Internet, he quietly put people on the FCC determined to take it down. Now he’s silent on the matter.

Here’s a great op-ed piece on Internet history and net neutrality, predictably from a non-American source.